Moto G to sell as low as $179 without contract in U.S.

Launching an unprecedented $179 off-contract, unlocked price, we think the ‘G’ stands for Game Changer.

Motorola today announced their newest smartphone, the 4.5-inch Moto G. Touted as a “premium smartphone experience” the phone at a much lower price, it’s very obvious that Motorola is aiming for mass adoption.

Motorola claims that all of your much-needed features are present in the Moto G, including an optimized Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 CPU and a 4.5-inch 720p display. The specs are not overly powerful, but you would be wrong to ask for all that much considering the price point.

It might not be the one you want if you’re all about that LTE connectivity or super-fast Wi-Fi configuration but, remember, you’re not the target demographic. Show this to people who have never owned a smartphone, however, and you’ll see the allure.

Say what?

Motorola plans to sell the Moto G through their website in an unlocked SIM-free price of $179 (8GB) and $199 (16GB). That’s nuts. That’s unlike anything else on the market. No, it’s not a 4G LTE device, but ask your mom or uncle how much that matters.

Working closely with Qualcomm, the smartphone is all about optimization and customer experience. You’ll find all-day battery life, a gorgeous display that’s easy to work with using one hand, and a near stock Android software build. Motorola has loaded their custom touches but they don’t get in the way. Like the Moto X, these are just little tweaks that make things much smoother and smarter.

Like the Moto X, this guy is a customizable experience with plenty of accessories and choice. You’ll not be able to custom-design the device through MotoMaker, however you’ll have removable back cases, colored grips, and other goodies.

Latest versions of Android

The Moto G is shipping with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, and Motorola is guaranteeing an update to KitKat by January 2014.

As an added incentive, Motorola is tossing in a few more goodies. Motorola is giving an additional 50GB of Google Drive storage for free for anyone who purchases the Moto G. Select markets will find that a dual-SIM model is available, giving customers more bang for their buck. Toss in an FM radio tuner, waterproof coating, and Gorilla Glass and you’ve got a game changer.

Launching in United States in early January, will be offered across 60 partners in 30 countries in the next few months. International countries are first to see the device, however, as it goes on sale immediately in a few places around the world. Remember all that talk about the “emerging markets” for this device? At this price, the Moto G should be the first on a customer’s minds when average annual salaries around $11,000, as they are in Brazil.

The hardware

The finer details tell us that the Moto G is not focused on competing in every aspect. Sure, it may very well beat Samsung and others in specific areas of usage, but it’s the small stuff that matters to the enthusiast and heavy user. It might not be the one you want if you’re all about that LTE connectivity or super-fast Wi-Fi configuration but, remember, you’re not the target demographic. Show this to people who have never owned a smartphone, however, and you’ll see the allure.

In addition to smartphones and mobile gadgets, Scott has a deep appreciation for film, music, and sunflower seeds. A husband and father, he likes spending down time riding his mountain bike or binge-watching TV. Scott has overseen the day-to-day activities of AndroidGuys since 2007.

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